Austen Gregerson column: Loyd is turning Ponte Vedra into a county power

As Ponte Vedra grouped underneath Creekside’s scoreboard for a victory shot — the opponent’s scoreboard being as important a part of the picture as any coach or player — the Sharks were able to commemorate a few different things.

A 20-0 win against their rival, their second District 4-5A title in the school’s brief history, and maybe, the coronation of a county power for years to come.

In five years — four, according to coach Mike Loyd — Ponte Vedra has asserted itself as a power with two district titles and three straight wins against its closest rival, Creekside.

“It’s always great to win a district championship on your rival’s field,” Loyd said. “We overcame some adversity today. We had some more injuries this week and penalties against us which was uncharacteristic, but that’s what good teams do.”

Part of it can be credited to the athletes on the field. Running back Cole Mazza, bigger than most defenders he runs against, has his second 1,000-yard season under his belt and still has a few games to add to his total.

Junior linebacker Dillon Bates currently has offers to Oklahoma, Notre Dame and a grocery list of schools sure to come.

Bates still has an entire year before he’s forced to make a decision, but he enjoys what his current team is doing now to pass the time. His presence on the field usually drives offenses away from wherever he’s located, but Friday night the highly coveted Bates still managed to disrupt the Creekside rushing attack and pick off an Adam Sandin pass.

“It’s been a pretty good week, safe to say,” Bates said. “I guess I get to take the weekend easy and enjoy myself a little.”

Part of it has to do with solid resources. The Sharks enjoy all, and every, luxury available to a public school football program, be it new uniforms or top-end facilities most athletes only see at the collegiate level.

And then there’s the coach, Loyd. He offers an uncompromising, old-school approach to the game to balance out the affluence.

Loyd’s no-nonsense demeanor as he stalks the sidelines, demanding simply everything his players have to offer, is a major reason why Ponte Vedra has come so far so quickly.

But just as important as winning is having someone to play the foil, a role Creekside naturally assumes. Though the past three games have gone to the Sharks, all contests have been hard fought and contentious, just like rivalry games should be.

Ponte Vedra knocked the Knights out of the playoffs last year on its way to the state semifinal game. The year before that, both teams got into a post-game skirmish that had cops and coaches chaperoning this year’s handshake line to ensure everything went peacefully.

“I’m not going to be like other coaches and say this game wasn’t special,” Loyd said. “This is a game that we have circled on our calendar as soon as it gets released.”

Friday night’s edition of the matchup lived to its history despite the Knights being held scoreless. The hits from both teams were hard and went well past the whistle.

Even with a two-score lead backed by a stifling defense, Loyd’s tension didn’t let up until the final horn blew.

“It’s a rivalry game. It was physical, we knew we’d have a size advantage going into this game, but both teams played hard,” Loyd said. “It’s always going to be a good game between us. You can throw out the record books.”

Creekside still has a shot at making the postseason and getting another chance to play Ponte Vedra, potentially to return the favor of getting eliminated from the playoffs. That in itself is an accomplishment after starting the season 0-3 and playing sporadically even when the Knights have been winning games.

But that hypothetical will have to wait.

For now, Ponte Vedra holds the upper hand. Its future holds a home game in the playoffs and a chance to repeat its surprise playoff run from last year.

And a chance to defend its crown — what may end up being the Sharks first of many to come.